Bleacher Report - Big East Basketballhttp://bleacherreport.com/
Bleacher Report - The open source sports networken-us30Big East Tournament 2015: TV Schedule and Early Bracket PredictionsR. Cory Smith<p class="ui-droppable"><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt="">March is finally here, college basketball fans. While the NCAA tournament is weeks away, conference tournaments will be firing up soon.</p>
<p>The Big East tournament isn't what it used to be after losing teams such as Syracuse and Notre Dame, but it is one of the most intriguing brackets in March. No. 4 Villanova seems like the lone lock to make a charge through the field, but upsets are always possible.</p>
<p>Leading up to the 10-team tournament starting next Wednesday, March 11, here's a look at the full TV schedule and seeding predictions.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Big East Tournament Information</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>First round</strong>: Wednesday, March 11</p>
<p>No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed: 7&nbsp;p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1</p>
<p>No. 7 seed vs. No. 10 seed: 9:30 p.m.&nbsp;<span>ET on Fox Sports 1</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Quarterfinals</strong>: Thursday, March 12</p>
<p>No. 1 seed vs. No. 8/9 seed: 12 p.m.&nbsp;<span>ET on Fox Sports 1</span></p>
<p>No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed: 2:30 p.m.&nbsp;<span>ET on Fox Sports 1</span></p>
<p>No. 2 seed vs. No. 7/10 seed: 7 p.m.&nbsp;<span>ET on Fox Sports 1</span></p>
<p>No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed: 9:30 p.m.&nbsp;<span>ET on Fox Sports 1</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Semifinals</strong>: Friday, March 13</p>
<p>Semifinal No. 1: 7 p.m.&nbsp;<span>ET on Fox Sports 1</span></p>
<p><span class="spellcheck">Semifinal</span> No. 2: 9:30 p.m.&nbsp;<span>ET on Fox Sports 1</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Championship game</strong>: Saturday, March 14, 8:30 p.m.&nbsp;<span>ET on Fox Sports 1</span><span><br></span></p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Preview</strong></span></p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>Outside of Villanova, who else has a chance of competing for the Big East crown?</p>
<p>Villanova is the lone team from the conference currently inside the Top 20 in the latest <a href="http://collegebasketball.ap.org/poll">Associated Press poll</a> and the only program with more than 25 wins. The Wildcats have been so strong this season that ESPN's Joe <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Lunardi</span></span> has them as a No. 1 seed, via ESPN College Basketball:</p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>Jay Wright's squad hasn't made it through the Big East unscathed, though.</p>
<p>Villanova was throttled 78-58 by Georgetown earlier in the season when Isaac Copeland came off the bench to score 17 points. That loss was preceded by an overtime win for Seton Hall over the Wildcats thanks to Sterling Gibbs' 20-point performance.</p>
<p>Gibbs <a href="http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2015/02/16/seton-hall-sterling-gibbs-strike-ejected-villanova-ryan-arcidiacono">was ejected</a> during the February contest against Villanova after striking&nbsp;Ryan <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Arcidiacono</span></span>. Following that low moment for the Pirates, Gibbs apologized for the incident on Twitter:</p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>Georgetown and Seton Hall will be looking to pull off upsets over the No. 4 program once again. Several other teams, including St. John's, Providence and Butler, will be hoping to improve their NCAA resumes as well.</p>
<p>The Wildcats swept the Friars and the Bulldogs, but both teams have the talent to shock the field. Who takes over the No. 2 seed behind Nova will be decided by how Butler plays down the stretch.</p>
<p>Playing both the <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Hoyas</span></span> and the Friars, the Bulldogs will be battle-tested heading into the conference tournament. If they sweep those teams and make it to the championship game, they might get an opportunity to finally take down the Wildcats.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Follow <a href="http://twitter.com/rcorysmith">@<span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">RCorySmith</span></span></a> on Twitter.</em></p><p>Read more <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/big-east-basketball" title="Big East Basketball analysis, news and photos">Big East Basketball</a> news on BleacherReport.com</p>Tue, 03 Mar 2015 10:00:00 -0500http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2382070-big-east-tournament-2015-tv-schedule-and-early-bracket-predictions
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2382070-big-east-tournament-2015-tv-schedule-and-early-bracket-predictionshttp://bleacherreport.com/articles/2382070-big-east-tournament-2015-tv-schedule-and-early-bracket-predictionsCollege BasketballBig East BasketballPreview/PredictionFormer UCLA Big Man Joshua Smith Earning His Redemption at GeorgetownKerry Miller<p class="ui-droppable"><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt="">It took five years, two schools and a dietitian, but&nbsp;Joshua Smith is finally reminding us why he was supposed to be the next big thing in college basketball.</p>
<p>He just got too big.</p>
<p>Rated as the No. 18 overall recruit in the class of 2010 <a href="http://247sports.com/Season/2010-Basketball/CompositeRecruitRankings?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool" target="_blank">by 247Sports</a>, Smith<span>&mdash;</span>then listed at 270 pounds<span>&mdash;</span>was the only 5-star recruit committed to play for a school west of Kansas. He was expected to be the centerpiece for a UCLA team coming off a woefully uncharacteristic 14-18 season in 2009-10.</p>
<p>Early on, he was every bit as good as advertised.</p>
<p>Five weeks into Smith's college career, he had 15 points and eight rebounds to pace the Bruins to a key win over BYU. After the game, BYU head coach <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Freshman-Joshua-Smith-carries-the-load-in-UCLA-s?urn=ncaab-297795" target="_blank">Dave Rose said</a>, "He's as difficult a matchup as we've had here and this is the sixth season I've been a head coach."</p>
<p>Thanks in large part to Smith's play in the post, the Bruins won 23 games and returned to the NCAA tournament. Smith averaged 10.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in just 21.7 minutes per game and was named to the <a href="http://www.webcitation.org/5xJJLVU16" target="_blank"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Pac</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>-10 All-Freshman Team</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Following his freshman year, the big man sent out "feelers with NBA teams" to gauge where he'd be drafted if he were to declare, ac<span>cording to&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.nbadraft.net/draft-buzz-4">NBADraft.net's Aran Smith</a>.</p>
<p>The sky was the limit for a young man who could be a <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">bona fide</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> star with just a little more focus on conditioning.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That's what made his fall from grace so frustratingly <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">buzzworthy</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>.</p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>In <a href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7173303/ncb-blue-ribbon-2011-12-college-basketball-preview-ucla-bruins">its preview</a>&nbsp;of UCLA's 2011-12 season, the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook alluded to the major question surrounding the big man: "<span>The only question with Smith is how much of his immense potential he is going to actually reach this time, a question that is believed linked to his weight. Smith finished high school somewhere in the neighborhood of 350 pounds."</span></p>
<p><span>"The better <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">cardio</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> shape he's in, the better player he'll be," UCLA head coach Ben Howland said in the season preview. "At the end of the (2010-11) season, I thought he was starting to come on."</span></p>
<p><span>However, his playing time decreased during his sophomore season, as he averaged just 17.2 minutes per game. Smith himself put it best <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/07/sports/la-sp-1007-ucla-josh-smith-20121007" target="_blank">the following October</a> to David Wharton of the <em>Los Angeles Times</em>. </span></p>
<p><span>"I'd be out of position and reaching to the ball too late," he lamented. "The next thing I know, I've got four fouls and I'm heading to the bench."</span></p>
<p><span>Regardless of how many stories focused on his weight and conditioning issues, it didn't get any better. He played just 13.5 minutes per game for six contests during the 2012-13 season before <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/nov/28/sports/la-sp-sn-josh-smith-ucla-20121128" target="_blank">deciding to leave <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Westwood</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a>.</span></p>
<p><span>He transferred to Georgetown in January 2013 and had trimmed 40 pounds by August, <a href="http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/9550367/ucla-transfer-joshua-smith-needs-stay-court-make-impact-georgetown-college-basketball" target="_blank">according to ESPN's Andy <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Katz</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a>.</span></p>
<p><span>As it turns out, he just needed to eat more frequently to lose weight.</span></p>
<p><span>"I had a bad rap at UCLA because I didn't eat breakfast. I didn't eat lunch. I would wait until after practice and workouts and then think I had to eat X amount of calories," Smith told Katz. "<span>I've worked with a dietitian since I got here in January.&nbsp;<span>Now I'm eating (those calories) with small meals throughout the day."</span></span></span></p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p><span><span>Talent was never the problem with Smith.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>His problem was self-control.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>His problem was commitment.&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p><span>"A committed Josh Smith,&nbsp;I'm not sure there is a better big man in the country," <span>Georgetown head coach John Thompson III told Katz. "</span>He has the instincts and the physical tools to be better than any big man I've had."</span></p>
<p><span>That's incredibly high praise from the man who coached Jeff Green, Greg Monroe and Roy <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Hibbert</span></span></span></span></span></span></span>, but we've seen flashes of that promise all throughout his career.&nbsp;</span>In his first game with the <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Hoyas</span></span></span></span></span></span></span>, he scored 25 points in 27 minutes against Oregon.</p>
<p>Even after trimming those pounds, he's still a mountain of a man in the paint. More than just being an immovable object, though, Smith has great footwork and vision. Many centers are black holes once they get the ball, unable to get closer to the hoop and unwilling to find the open man, resulting in a low-percentage shot.</p>
<p>The same isn't true for Smith, though. While it doesn't show up in his assist totals (1.2 per game this season), he's a great asset in the inside-outside offense, able to reset by finding guys on the perimeter. Even if he gets the entry pass in the high post, he's nimble and assertive enough to work his way down to the low block.</p>
<p>He became an indispensable and reliable part of Georgetown's rotation as the <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Hoyas</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> opened the 2013-14 season with a 10-3 record. Smith was averaging 19.9 minutes and 11.5 points per game while shooting 65.5 percent from the field.</p>
<p><span>In remaining committed in the kitchen and the weight room, though, Smith fell behind in the classroom and was officially <a href="http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10346456/joshua-smith-georgetown-hoyas-ruled-academically-ineligible-season" target="_blank">ruled academically ineligible</a> for the rest of the season in late January. Without him in the lineup, Georgetown squandered its hot start by losing 11 of its last 18 games and missing the NCAA tournament.</span></p>
<p><span>Though Smith was granted another two years of eligibility upon his arrival at Georgetown, we were left to wonder if we'd ever see him play college basketball for a high-major program again. After all, Greg <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Whittington</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> was one of Georgetown's leading scorers when he was ruled academically ineligible in January 2013. <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Whittington</span></span></span></span></span></span></span> was <a href="http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10056297/greg-whittington-georgetown-hoyas-dismissed-team" target="_blank">dismissed from the program</a> the following November and has been something of an urban legend ever since.</span></p>
<p><span>But Smith did come back, and he has been better than ever for a tournament-bound team.</span></p>
<p><span><span>Smith had recorded just four double-doubles in 84 career games before this season, but he already has six this year. He also has seven games with at least 15 points, including a 20-point game against Kansas in which he made the Jayhawks look absolutely hopeless in the paint.</span></span></p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p><span>Playing 21.3 minutes per game might not seem like much for most 5-star players, but it's significantly better than the past three seasons for a big man who is scoring, assisting and rebounding at a career-best rate. And it has been enough for Smith to be named <a href="http://www.hoophall.com/news/2015/2/16/fifteen-candidates-announced-for-first-ever-kareem-abdul-jab.html" target="_blank">one of the 15 candidates</a> for the inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award.</span></p>
<p><span>His odds of finishing ahead of <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Jahlil</span></span> Okafor and Frank <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">Kaminsky</span></span> to actually win the award are slim to none, but to even be recognized as one of the 15 best big men in the country after all he has gone through is an incredible accomplishment.</span></p>
<p><span>If 2014-15 Joshua Smith had shown up three years ago, he probably would have been a lottery pick. Nowadays, he isn't even showing up as a projected draft pick <a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2015/list/" target="_blank">on <span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck"><span class="spellcheck">DraftExpress</span></span></span></span></span></span></span>.com</a>, but that hasn't stopped him from resurrecting his college career.</span></p>
<p><span><span>"I think the light's going to come on," UCLA's Tony Parker <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/07/sports/la-sp-1007-ucla-josh-smith-20121007" target="_blank">told Wharton</a> in October 2012. "(It's) just that for some people it takes longer. When Josh wants it, he'll get it."</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Nearly five years after his college career began, it looks like Smith finally wants it. Georgetown fans are hopeful the light stays on long enough for him to carry this team at least to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007.</span></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span><span><em>Kerry Miller covers college basketball for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/kerrancejames" target="_blank">@kerrancejames</a>.</em></span></span></p><p>Read more <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/big-east-basketball" title="Big East Basketball analysis, news and photos">Big East Basketball</a> news on BleacherReport.com</p>Mon, 02 Mar 2015 12:14:04 -0500http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2332617-former-ucla-big-man-joshua-smith-earning-his-redemption-at-georgetown
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2332617-former-ucla-big-man-joshua-smith-earning-his-redemption-at-georgetownhttp://bleacherreport.com/articles/2332617-former-ucla-big-man-joshua-smith-earning-his-redemption-at-georgetownNCAACollege BasketballBig East BasketballGeorgetown BasketballOpinionBig East Tournament 2015: Dates, Bracket and Dark-Horse Contenders to WatchScott Polacek<p class="ui-droppable"><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt="">The SEC may be the most obvious conference in terms of separation between the top team and the rest of the league, but the Big East features the No. 6 squad in the country in Villanova and a grand total of zero other members of the top 20.</p>
<p>However, it&rsquo;s called March Madness for a reason, and it starts in the Big East on March 11 in Madison Square Garden.</p>
<p>There are bound to be some upsets in the conference tournament, some of which could directly impact the seeding in the actual Big Dance. With that in mind, here is a look at some dark-horse contenders that could surprise Villanova at the Big East tournament.</p>
<p>A full schedule and bracket can be found&nbsp;<a href="http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/bige/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2014-15/misc_non_event/bigeast-tourney-bracket.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>, courtesy of the Big East.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>2015 Big East Tournament</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>Dates:</strong>&nbsp;March 11-14</p>
<p><strong>Location:</strong>&nbsp;Madison Square Garden in New York</p>
<p><strong>TV:</strong>&nbsp;Fox Sports 1</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Dark-Horse Teams to Watch</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>Xavier</strong></p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>To call the 2014-15 season a roller-coaster ride for Xavier would be an understatement.</p>
<p>Just look at its stretch from Dec. 20 on&mdash;loss, two wins, loss, win, two losses, win, loss, two wins, two losses, two wins, loss, two wins and loss. Thanks to impressive victories over Cincinnati and Butler in the last three games, Xavier is probably safely in the tournament, but it has been inconsistent to say the least.</p>
<p>It will still be dangerous in the Big East tournament.</p>
<p>The Musketeers lost their first game against Villanova, but they beat Butler, Georgetown twice and Providence, which are the top three teams behind the Wildcats in the standings. Xavier proved itself capable of pulling off upsets in this league, and there is no reason it can&rsquo;t do so again in the conference tournament.</p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>The Musketeers also have solid pieces with Matt Stainbrook as a double-double threat down low, Trevon Bluiett as a top scoring option on the wing and Myles Davis as the guard running the show.</p>
<p>There is also something to be said about the urgency that comes with playing in March games as a senior. Stainbrook is the emotional leader and senior of this squad, and the emotion he shows on the court was fairly clear in his comments before his senior day Saturday, via Jeremy Rauch of Fox 19 in Cincinnati:</p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>With Stainbrook leading the way on the inside and Davis and Bluiett on the outside as scoring threats, Xavier can knock off any team in the Big East. All it takes to win the tournament title is a hot week of basketball, and the Musketeers have the pieces to string together some wins and challenge the top seeds.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>St. John&rsquo;s</strong></p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>St. John&rsquo;s is hitting its stride and playing its best basketball of the season, and it comes just in time for the Big East tournament.</p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>In fact, the Red Storm have won five of six, including two over fellow dark-horse candidate Xavier, and have one of the best scorers in the league and even the entire country leading the way in D&rsquo;Angelo Harrison.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Harrison is averaging 18.4 points per game and has topped the 30-point plateau on three occasions this season. He can drill threes, attack the rim off the bounce and is a solid-enough passer to find teammates when opponents double him. Perhaps most impressively, Harrison really hasn&rsquo;t been healthy much of the season, via Zach Braziller of the <em>New York Post</em>:</p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>Throw in Sir&rsquo;Dominic Pointer down low as a double-double threat who has scored in double figures in 13 consecutive games, and St. John&rsquo;s has a scary one-two punch.</p>
<p>Some of the Red Storm&rsquo;s most impressive work of the season came in the nonconference portion of the schedule, including a victory over Syracuse on the road and close losses against Gonzaga and Duke. They were ranked earlier in the season and are finally starting to live up to preseason expectations down the stretch.</p>
<p>The top teams in the Big East are officially on alert.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Follow me on Twitter:</em></p>
<p><a class="twitter-follow-button" href="https://twitter.com/ScottPolacek">Follow @ScottPolacek</a></p><p>Read more <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/big-east-basketball" title="Big East Basketball analysis, news and photos">Big East Basketball</a> news on BleacherReport.com</p>Sat, 28 Feb 2015 09:00:00 -0500http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2380234-big-east-tournament-2015-dates-bracket-and-darkhorse-contenders-to-watch
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2380234-big-east-tournament-2015-dates-bracket-and-darkhorse-contenders-to-watchhttp://bleacherreport.com/articles/2380234-big-east-tournament-2015-dates-bracket-and-darkhorse-contenders-to-watchCollege BasketballBig East BasketballOpinionBig East Tournament 2015: Dates, Top Players to Watch in Upcoming EventScott Polacek<p class="ui-droppable"><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt="">If you are waiting for classic Big East tournament <span class="spellcheck">matchups</span> at Madison Square Garden like the ones between Jim Boeheim's Syracuse squads and John Thompson's Georgetown teams, you may have to check ESPN Classic.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Gone are the <span class="spellcheck">Syracuses</span>, <span class="spellcheck">Louisvilles</span>, Notre Dames, <span class="spellcheck">Connecticuts</span>, West <span class="spellcheck">Virginias</span>, Boston Colleges and <span class="spellcheck">Pittsburghs</span> from the league. That doesn't mean the 2015 Big East tournament will be without drama, though.</p>
<p>Villanova is going for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament as the dominant team in the league. Plus, always-dangerous squads like Butler, Providence, St. John's and Xavier represent serious threats to the Wildcats.</p>
<p>Oh, and Georgetown is still there.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With that in mind, here is a look at the dates and some players to watch at the 2015 Big East tournament. A full schedule and bracket can be found <a href="http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/bige/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2014-15/misc_non_event/bigeast-tourney-bracket.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>, courtesy of the Big East.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>2015 Big East Tournament</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>Dates:</strong> Wednesday, March 11 &ndash; Saturday, March 14</p>
<p><strong>Location:</strong> Madison Square Garden; New York</p>
<p><strong>TV:</strong> Fox Sports 1</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Top Players to Watch</strong></span></p>
<p><strong><span class="spellcheck">D'Vauntes</span> Smith-Rivera, Georgetown</strong></p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>Coming into the 2014-15 season, no player in the Big East was expected to be as productive on the floor as Georgetown's <span class="spellcheck">D'Vauntes</span> Smith-Rivera.</p>
<p>He was named the Big East Preseason Player of the Year because of his ability to score, hit from three-point range and set up teammates. However, the <span class="spellcheck">Hoyas</span> went through a rough patch in the <span class="spellcheck">nonconference</span> schedule, lost a couple of early league games to Xavier and Providence and were largely forgotten about.</p>
<p>Not anymore.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Georgetown has won three games in a row and has climbed into second place in the Big East. Hoyas247 noted that Smith-Rivera has been monumentally important during that stretch:</p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>On the season, he is averaging 15.5 points, 3.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game behind 38.3 percent shooting from three-point range. He may not win the Big East Player of the Year, but he seems to be hitting his stride as the season enters the stretch run.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That is a scary proposition for the rest of the conference, especially if the <span class="spellcheck">Hoyas</span> can seize a top-two seed in the league tournament.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span class="spellcheck">LaDontae</span> <span class="spellcheck">Henton</span>, Providence</strong></p>
<p><img class="slot" src="/images/pixel.gif" alt=""></p>
<p>Few things in college basketball are more enjoyable to watch than an elite scorer taking over a game, and nobody in the Big East scores more points per game than Providence's <span class="spellcheck">LaDontae</span> <span class="spellcheck">Henton</span>.</p>
<p>Behind <span class="spellcheck">Henton</span>'s 20.3 points and 5.9 rebounds a night, the Friars are battling for a spot in the NCAA tournament. A handful of wins in the Big East tournament would go a long way toward securing that nod on Selection Sunday, but it has been an up-and-down campaign during conference season.</p>
<p>Head coach Ed Cooley discussed his team's tournament prospects, via <a href="http://www.pawtuckettimes.com/content/providence-college-basketball-friars-have-good-chance-dance">Brendan <span class="spellcheck">McGair</span></a> of <em>The <span class="spellcheck">Pawtucket</span> Times</em>:</p>
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<p>The Big East ... I think that teams that can get to 9, 10, 11 (league) wins solidifies an at-large berth. That's what the goal is and that's what the mission has been. You may not win all your games, but we do want to finish .500 or better in order to give ourselves the best chance going into the Big East Tournament to be a NCAA Tournament team.</p>
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<p>If that is going to happen, the Friars are going to need <span class="spellcheck">Henton</span> and teammate Kris Dunn (who is also in the top 10 in the Big East in scoring at 15.1 points per game) to light up the scoreboard, especially at the Big East tournament.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the one-and-done nature of the postseason, a lethal scoring combination can be more than enough to carry a team deep into the conference or NCAA bracket. That is exactly what Providence has at its disposal.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><span class="spellcheck">D'Angelo</span> Harrison, St. John's</strong></p>
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<p>Speaking of teams that are on the bubble and could use a win or two in the Big East tournament, St. John's will rely on superstar <span class="spellcheck">D'Angelo</span> Harrison to carry it deep into the bracket.</p>
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<p>The Red Storm are on the right path after winning five of six games, and Harrison scored in double figures in all five of those victories, including a 33-point performance against DePaul. His 18.4 points per game are second in the conference, and few players in the league or even country can hit from deep or attack the rim as effectively as he does.</p>
<p>Harrison's consistency is what stands out the most. He has averaged 16.8, 17.8, 17.5 and now 18.4 points a night in his four seasons on campus and is the true definition of a go-to scorer. That type of scoring consistency will be critical when teams are playing back-to-back games in the conference tournament and tired legs become a factor.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Tyler R. Tynes of SB Nation noted that Harrison stands above the rest of the Big East guards in at least one category:</p>
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<p>The Red Storm will likely be squarely on the bubble when the Big East tournament arrives. They may be the most fascinating team in the entire field because of the pressing need to rack up wins, and Harrison will be the key to that happening.</p>
<p>If he starts racking up 20-25 points a night in the Big East tournament, St. John's could surprise some of the top seeds.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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